At the Ridge: North Carolina’s Boone, Banner Elk & Blowing Rock
Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, all I really knew about the North Carolina mountains is it to be a mecca of furniture factories and showrooms that made, displayed and trucked inventory to my father's furniture store in Clarksdale. Growing up, truckers would call periodically from pay phones (often collect) en route from North Carolina to my father's store, updating an ever changing delivery time. Often, I would work on my Geometry homework or creative writing assignments while waiting on furniture deliveries to arrive then be carefully unloaded and assembled. Ten o'clock at night was sometimes an early night to see a truck pull down Desoto Avenue — with cargo.
I have lived in the Carolinas, specifically Charleston, South Carolina, for decades(+) now. And during my time here, I have explored the 'other Carolina' in all seasons, including the peak of summer and the peak of winter. The last trip was this February to a snow fallen Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and surrounding pockets, the Blue Ridge mountains in constant view.
I discovered quaint, local coffee shops, the quiet and an easy kind to hold nice conversations and spend the next hour or so perfecting the daily plan of discovery. Mountain Grounds in Banner Elk has become a personal favorite, with vegan food options and also perfectly brewed coffees with non-dairy milks. The owner is gracious and welcoming and has great tips on '‘goings-on” (as he likes to say) of the area. Blue Deer on Main Street in Blowing Rock or King Street in Boone are great spots that serve various coffees, ice cream (vegan options), and cookies. The logo is cool and the interiors are artfully curated. Farm to table is at its best(!) at local restaurants like the Speckled Trout and Embers Hotel (both Blowing Rock) ; they offer clean proteins (including local trout), vegan options and beautiful servings of local produce, such as Bonnie Giant cabbage, a cruciferous green unique and ubiquitous to the area.
There are no excuses to break habits of your movement practices, as there are a million ways to try new things both in and outside. Outdoor skiing or snowboarding at BeechMountain is certainly an option and indoor, hot yoga at High Country Yoga offers practices that are centering and challenging. Not the mention long walks in town or along cleared paths through nature.
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (part of App State) is a must-do. It is a beautiful exhibition space with well-curated regional art of various mediums, including but not limited to, painting, sculpture, and even digital forms. Many artists featured at the Turchin live in the Boone area and some are App State faculty, so take copious notes. Enhancing the vibrancy of the community, public sculpture and murals are installed throughout the town of Boone. For example, designed and created by artist duo Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn, the mural on the Turchin’s stairwell transforms into geometric patterns and bold colors. (And honestly, it creates a perfect, instagrammable moment!) This contemporary artwork is not only intended to beautify the space but also invite the community and travelers to engage with the arts in a unique and accessible way. Along App State’s ‘Arts Corridor’ are many public sculptures, including “Double Wedge” by artist Carl Billingsley of Greensboro. The painted steel structure comprises simple geometric shapes with two halves that are bolstered by a supportive connection piece. “The sculpture is symbolic of the need to strike a balance in our cultural relationships,” explains Billingsley.
Mississippi will always be home and life foreseeable is in the Carolinas. North Carolina and its Blue Ridge mountains have a specific history and culture that makes it special (outside the scope of a simple post). During the frigid winter months, it is the perfect place to breathe in clean air, sit by a quiet fire and take a firm pause. Its incomparable landscapes combined with cutting edge art is more than a getaway, it is a respite. I overheard a burly passenger on a quaint street in Boone mention that “being at the ridge makes me feel a little closer to God.” I felt the same.
